The Republican I’m For

     I’m for the one who knows the cost of war includes taking care of ALL the veterans that war will wound, and will see that without fail or hassle, they ALL get all the care they need. Forever. The one who wants a significantly higher national minimum wage and will say so and fight to make it so. Who demands equal pay for women. That courageous Republican who will lead the campaign to restore Glass-Steagall and break up the too-big-to-fail demons in our midst. The one who will get Congress to set medical marijuana standards for the whole country so veterans and other patients with a medical need can travel safely anywhere with their medicine.

      I’m for that stellar Republican who hates big government (and small government) messing with women’s reproductive rights. Who hates big government providing welfare…for wealthy individuals and corporations. The one who hates our national debt…enough to slam shut the doors of all those off shore tax havens. The adult who says flying two or three executives hundreds of miles in the company jet so they can play golf at exclusive links, burdens paying customers and should not be a deductible business expense. The one who insists laws be passed to exclude excessive executive compensation from company deductibility.

      I’m for the Republican who will lead the reform of America’s justice system, and who will prevent government (and corporate America) from filling its coffers by preying on the poor. The heroic Republican who will conserve the vision of our founders and restore the separation of Church and State in our one nation under God.

      For s/he is the one who will provide much needed oxygen to the American Dream.

The Trickle Down Standard

            According to some politicians, America’s gouging of corporations is taxing our country into third-rate producer status.  However, America’s corporate tax is providing the smallest portion of our tax revenue in history.  Should we blame foreign tax havens?  Seems like I read recently that Wal Mart had billions of dollars of income in Luxembourg, a place where they have NO stores.  And don’t forget all the companies whose home offices are now in tax paradises instead of here where the money comes from.  Corporations are reportedly just drowning in taxes and regulations.  And some politicians say, with great sincerity, that the fix is to reduce those taxes and restore the American Dream.

            Meanwhile, every stadium, arena, performance venue, and other public facility supported by taxpayers, but bearing a corporate name or logo, is unmistakable evidence that we are not taxing corporations enough.  They have enough to give huge (tax deductible) civic gifts, but not enough money to make things or create jobs.  Sort of puts the lie to the spin masters who want to restore America to the days of the trickle-down standard.  By the way, with our current egregious income inequality in America, how’s that trickle-down concept working for you?  Theoretically, it should be much easier now for you to make ends meet and build a solid middle-class future for yourself and your family.  Is that working?   

            Around here, we think it takes incredible cheek to pump such nonsense into air we are already struggling to keep clean.

The Memphis Spa For Important Dogs

            I finally had to do something about our dog, Lothar.  He is a giant—a cross between a Great Dane and a Mastiff that we lovingly shorten to Great Mass—about 174 pounds.  He should have come with a saddle.  Lothar’s problem is that he lays around all day eating biscuits and watching soaps on TV (He also likes the Humane Society bit on the noon news). 

          It doesn’t help that he loves everybody, including the mail carrier.  He’s even nice to Jehova’s Witnesses when they dare to join him on our porch.  And one time, when a burglar decided to turn himself in, the police apprehended him sitting by our front door, cheerfully scratching our docile drooling dog behind the ears.  Lothar chases nothing!

          Well, something had to be done.  Lothar’s muscle tone was deteriorating.  I would have exercised him myself, but a human can’t walk Lothar unless he or she is on a horse or a motorcycle, neither of which are luxuries I favor.  And I am much too big to ride Lothar.

          So off we went, a comic 21^st Century version of Turner And Hooch, to visit Chez Pup™, The Spa For Important Dogs™.  Six weeks and $6000 later, Lothar came home fit as a timber wolf.  My only concern is his new habit of curling his lip in an Elvis-like smile that even frightens our house plants.  So I’m buying better biscuits, but every time I give him some, I could swear he tries to say, “Thank-you-very-much!”